rsimmons (_Diospyros kaki_, _D. lotus_, and _D.
virginiana_) were stratified in moist sawdust for three months at a
temperature range of 35 to 40 degrees F. After this period of
stratification the seeds of each species were divided into three lots
and planted in flats 25 x 26 x 6 inches containing one of the following
media: (1) sharp sand of the type used in potting soil, (2) potting
soil, and (3) vermiculite. Seeds were kept moist with ordinary tap water
and allowed to germinate and grow in the greenhouse. When the seedlings
had grown two or three true leaves, they were carefully removed from the
medium and examined for the type of root system developed.

Results

In the first eight species listed in Table 1, the differences between
branched and tap-rooted seedlings were quite pronounced. The few
tap-rooted seedlings growing in vermiculite medium showed some laterals
and were less strongly tap-rooted than those in soil or sand. Pawpaws in
soil and sand media were practically devoid of laterals, and their
fibrous root system in vermiculite was not as pronounced as with the
walnuts, hickories, and pecans. Of the species studied, the persimmons

Table 1.

Sand Soil Vermiculite

Species Number of plants
Tap rooted Fibrous Tap Fibrous Tap Fibrous

Black Walnut 20 3 24 2 0 39
Persian Walnut 15 2 13 1 0 15
Chinese Chestnut 35 6 32 7 3 37
Pignut Hickory 19 0 22 0 3 16
Shellbark Hickory 9 0 8 0 0 13
Shagbark Hickory 27 0 25 0 2 28
Pecan 21 0 23 0 0 15
Pawpaw 102 0 140 0 20 85
D. kaki 6 2 5 3 0 10
D. lotus 20 11 18 7 0 30
D. Virginia 16 0 20 0 0 14

showed the least tendency to produce tap-rooted seedlings. Typical
branched or fibrous-rooted seedlings grown in vermiculite are
illustrated in Figure 1.

[Illustration: Fig. 1. Seedlings grown in vermiculite medium. Left,
_Juglans regia_; right, _Castanea mol